Ani Kalayjian

What impact can disaster have on survivors? How can we intervene in post-disaster zones for rehabilitation? What is mindfulness and how can we practice it? How can we transform grief? These and many other vital questions were clarified, information shared, and insight generated at The Association for Trauma Outreach and Prevention (ATOP) MeaningfulWorld’s second workshop of 2025 on 29 March. The workshop was entitled “Disaster Relief and Mindfulness,” which is Stage II of the 4-part curriculum to prepare for graduation at the United Nations as MeaningfulWorld Ambassadors for Humanitarian Relief and Peace Building. The participants included a combination of excited interns and individuals from many different backgrounds and professions from Armenia to Uganda and of course the USA. There was a buzz of enthusiasm as all participants joined, being welcomed and cleansed by sage. Breakfast was served with organic bagels; herbal green teas & the atmosphere of the workshop was very calm with a colorful decor of candles and flowers. Everyone was smudged with sage before entering. To set the tone, Dr. Ani Kalayjian, the founder and president of ATOP MeaningfulWorld, began the program with a moment of silence. She shared a beautiful poem on Vicarious Trauma that https://meaningfulworld.com/poem uplifted the group and created a warm atmosphere for the rest of the workshop. MeaningfulWorld’s Education Coordinator, Paulina Sipilian, who managed the workshop. Dr. Kalayjian continued with the lecture on Disaster Relief and Mindfulness. She spoke on the importance of managing emotions, saying “If you don’t manage your emotions, they will manage you”. She emphasizes the importance of trying to focus on what is in our control, instead of worrying about things that are outside our control. The emphasis on the importance of mindfulness is focused upon, as certain disasters have implemented different types of traumas. She discussed the five stages of coping which are: shock and disbelief, denial, releasing emotional response, acceptance and recovery. She also presented important theories such as Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. Also shared was Miguel Ruiz’s Four Agreements, which are “Beimpeccable with your word, don’t take anything personally, don’t make assumptions, and do the best you can”. Throughout the presentation, there were instances where the group paused to reflect on what they had learned. Some of the sentiments shared by participants included “I wish I knew about Maslow’s theory earlier and these four agreements” and “I really want to make an effort to prioritize mindfulness now”. Dr. Kalayjian also discussed the health benefits of turmeric and magnesium for good health such as anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial agents along with helping brain fog. Other flowers and essential oils were passed around which help with trauma healing. The Visionary Speaker, Mary Ng, is a licensed Social Worker specializing in transforming grief. She discussed how one could transform grief and move on from their pain. She also talked about different methods to manage grief one may experience, one of them being the empty chair method. One can visualize the departed person in this chair and speak to them as if they are sitting in it. Mary discussed the emotional release one may experience by doing this through guided and controlled direction. Lunch was served with chicken, rice and vegetables and the movie Humanitarian Mission in Haiti was shown. During the lunch break, Paulina Sipilian gave her presentation about her how she will be taking the lessons she learned in mindfulness and empathy into her future career as a physician, by meeting every patient with compassion, kindness and empathy. Carmen Velez, who has been a consistent participant at our workshops, also presented and talked about how she takes every opportunity she can to spread the work and missions of MeaningfulWorld, and practices mindfulness & activism she has learned in her daily life. She shared about how the women of her community used to protect her, and how she has faith that the women in the room with her during the workshop would use what they learned to make positive changes. MeaningfulWorld Outreach Coordinator, Sena Ummak, led the group through a fruitful healing session using the 7-Step Integrative Healing Model as her guidepost. Participants shared high levels of frustration, sadness, worry and disappointment. Many shared what caused those feelings and received empathy & validation from other participants. At the 4th step of the support group, participants were asked to reflect on lessons learned. One participant said, “I need to be patient with myself”. Participants were also asked to re-evaluate their negative emotions after the session and all participants reported a substantial decrease in their negative emotions. MeaningfulWorld Intern, David Kryzhanovski led our group through Soul-Surfing. A series of exercises, movements, and affirmations that address each of the 7-chakras, colors, and the areas in our bodies. Affirming phrases were: “I am assertive, I am mindful”, “I nurture Mother Earth”, and “I am a peaceful warrior”. The Soul-Surfing exercises were a wonderful way to connect with Mother Earth. The workshop concluded with a short meditation to recenter participants and prepare us to embrace our day.

2025 5 June Annual Conference & Ambassador Graduation at MeaningfulWorld, Fordham University, summary